A Good Reminder About Government

The context of this quote is a discussion about Israel’s desire for a king…

It is easy to forget that “we the people” in the long run must always pay for whatever the government does for us. Only fools suppose that by committing a matter to the government, they can get it done for nothing. Still worse, human government not only makes the people pay for everything done for them, but it always makes them pay more than it should cost. For only a part of the wealth taken by the government ever comes back to the people in services.

–Alva J. McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom, p. 108.

God’s Transforming Grace

Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison (Acts 8:3)

…serving the Lord with all humility and tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:20-21)

What a great illustration of God’s grace in transforming Paul’s heart and actions, from going house to house as a persecutor of Christ to going house to house as a proclaimer of Christ!

Your Last Days on Earth

I know, not a very “Chrismasy” title, but remember the Preacher’s advice in Ecclesiastes 7:2, 4—

It is better to go to a house of mourning
Than to go to a house of feasting,
Because that is the end of every man,
And the living takes it to heart.

The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning,
While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

What would you occupy your time with during the last days of your life on earth, especially if you were restricted to a bed?

Pastor John Ashbrook left us with a great example to follow. Here are some of the things he did:

• Whenever someone visited, he tried to minister to them somehow. If it was medical personnel, he’d ask them their names, get involved with their lives, and point them to Christ.
• He read the Bible, and when he couldn’t read anymore, loved ones read him the Bible
• He looked forward to being with Christ
• He prayed, prayed with others, and others prayed with him
• He talked on the phone with those who called
• He gave thanks to God for the life he was entrusted with, praising Him for the opportunities to serve Him

I’m sure there were other things, but many of these are what family members told me tonight during calling hours, and I saw much of this during a visit I had with him two weeks ago.

One thing he didn’t do was watch TV—he didn’t own one. More and more I’m liking the thought of that. That thing is the means for wasting so much time.

Psalm 90

¹ Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
² Before the mountains were born
Or You gave birth to the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

³ You turn man back into dust
And say, “Return, O children of men.”
⁴ For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it passes by,
Or as a watch in the night.
⁵ You have swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep;
In the morning they are like grass which sprouts anew.
⁶ In the morning it flourishes and sprouts anew;
Toward evening it fades and withers away.

⁷ For we have been consumed by Your anger
And by Your wrath we have been dismayed.
⁸ You have placed our iniquities before You,
Our secret sins in the light of Your presence.
⁹ For all our days have declined in Your fury;
We have finished our years like a sigh.
¹⁰ As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years,
Or if due to strength, eighty years,
Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow;
For soon it is gone and we fly away.
¹¹ Who understands the power of Your anger
And Your fury, according to the fear that is due You?
¹² So teach us to number our days,
That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.

¹³ Do return, O LORD; how long will it be?
And be sorry for Your servants.
¹⁴ O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness,
That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
¹⁵ Make us glad according to the days You have afflicted us,
And the years we have seen evil.
¹⁶ Let Your work appear to Your servants
And Your majesty to their children.
¹⁷ Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;
And confirm for us the work of our hands;
Yes, confirm the work of our hands.

Pastor John E. Ashbrook

Orwell Bible Church knew Pastor Ashbrook well, as he has been at our services many times. This morning he went to be with the Lord.

Some time ago my friend Andy Rupert wrote a great article surveying Ashbrook’s life and ministry. I’d encourage you to read it!

Psalm 119:97-99

O how love I thy law! it is
    my study all the day:
It makes me wiser than my foes;
    for it doth with me stay.
Than all my teachers now I have
    more understanding far;
Because my meditation
    thy testimonies are.

–Scottish Psalter, 1650

Content Matters

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:
preach the word;
be ready in season and out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship,
do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
2 Timothy 4:1-5

 

 

 

Great Poem by a Young Teenage Girl

My soul exalts the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.

For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name.
His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear him.
He has done mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has exalted those who were humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
And sent away the rich empty-handed.

He has given help to Israel His servant,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and his descendants forever.

Luke 1:46-55

Praise to God, Immortal Praise

Praise to God, immortal praise,
For the love that crowns our days;
Bounteous source of every joy,
Let Thy praise our tongues employ.

Flocks that whiten all the plain;
Yellow sheaves of ripened grain;
Clouds that drop their fattening dews,
Suns that temperate warmth diffuse.

All that spring with bounteous hand
Scatters o’er the smiling land;
All that liberal autumn pours
From her rich o’erflowing stores.

These to Thee, my God, we owe,
Source whence all our blessings flow;
And for these my soul shall raise
Grateful vows and solemn praise.

Yet, should rising whirlwinds tear
From its stem the ripening ear;
Should the fig tree’s blasted shoot
Drop her green untimely fruit,

Should the vine put forth no more,
Nor the olive yield her store;
Though the sickening flocks should fall,
And the herds desert the stall,

Yet to Thee my soul shall raise
Grateful vows and solemn praise;
And, when every blessing’s flown
Love Thee for Thyself alone.

–Anna Barbauld (1743-1825)

A Great Illustration of Faith

After Naaman protests Elisha’s instruction to wash in the Jordan seven times to be cleansed of his leprosy,

Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do somegreat thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” (2 Kings 5:13)

Upcoming Bible Class

I’ll be teaching a new Bible Class at Orwell Bible Church beginning next month on the Old Testament.

The primary focus of the class will look at each individual book of the OT, but also give consideration to important aspects of the OT such as how did they worship (looking especially at the sacrificial system), salvation, interpreting the OT, the kingdom, and other items.

You won’t learn everything about the OT in this class! You will learn enough of the basics of the OT so that you will be able to correctly understand and apply it to your life.